Ocrelizumab associates with reduced cerebrospinal fluid B and CD20 CD4 T cells in primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

The anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody ocrelizumab reduces disability progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis. CD20 is a prototypical B-cell marker; however, subpopulations of CD4 and CD8 T cells in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid also express low levels of CD20 (CD20). Therefore, direct targeting and depletion of these CD20 T-cell subpopulations may contribute to the therapeutic effect of ocrelizumab.

Reasons Patients With Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Contact Their Specialist Nurses.

Background: Questions asked by patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) during patient-initiated MS nurse consultations may contain salient information that can help health care providers understand their needs, which, in turn, can help tailor counseling and treatment.

Methods: Records of all patients with PPMS visiting the MS center of a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands between January 2007 and January 2021 were studied retrospectively. Number and type (scheduled or patient initiated) of MS nurse consultations, reasons for consultations (in prespecified categories), and frequency of subsequent referrals were registered.

Disease activity in primary progressive multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) is defined as presence of relapses, gadolinium enhancing lesions and/or new or enlarging lesions on MRI. It is associated with efficacy of immunomodulating therapies (IMTs) in primary progressive MS (PPMS). However, a thorough review on disease activity in PPMS is lacking.

Real-world challenges in the diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Despite the 2017 revisions to the McDonald criteria, diagnosing primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) remains challenging. To improve clinical practice, the aim was to identify frequent diagnostic challenges in a real-world setting and associate these with the performance of the 2010 and 2017 PPMS diagnostic McDonald criteria.

Methods: Clinical, radiological and laboratory characteristics at the time of diagnosis were retrospectively recorded from designated PPMS patient files.

Quantitative evaluation of large corporate climate action initiatives shows mixed progress in their first half-decade.

Corporate climate initiatives such as the Science-Based Targets initiative and RE100 have gained significant prominence in recent years, with considerable increases in membership and several ex-ante studies stating how they could bring substantive emissions reductions beyond national goals. However, studies evaluating their progress are scarce, raising questions on how members achieve targets and whether their contributions are genuinely additional. Here we assess these initiatives by disaggregating membership by sector and geographic region and then thoroughly evaluating their progress between 2015-2019 using public environmental data disclosed by 102 of their largest members by revenue.

How offshore wind could become economically attractive in low-resource regions like Indonesia.

The current focus of offshore wind industry and academia lies on regions with strong winds, neglecting areas with mild resources. Photovoltaics' cost reductions have shown that even mild resources can be harnessed economically, especially where electricity prices are high. Here, we study the technical and economic potential of offshore wind power in Indonesia as an example of mild-resource areas, using bias-corrected ERA5 data, turbine-specific power curves, and a detailed cost model.

Human T-bet+ B cell development is associated with BTK activity and suppressed by evobrutinib.

Recent clinical trials have shown promising results for the next-generation Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor evobrutinib in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). BTK has a central role in signaling pathways that govern the development of B cells. Whether and how BTK activity shapes B cells as key drivers of MS is currently unclear.

Distinct Effector Programs of Brain-Homing CD8 T Cells in Multiple Sclerosis.

The effector programs of CD8 memory T cells are influenced by the transcription factors RUNX3, EOMES and T-bet. How these factors define brain-homing CD8 memory T cells in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unknown. To address this, we analyzed blood, CSF and brain tissues from MS patients for the impact of differential RUNX3, EOMES and T-bet expression on CD8 T cell effector phenotypes.

Curing time: a temporally explicit life cycle CO accounting of mineralization, bioenergy, and CCS in the concrete sector.

The decarbonization of concrete production requires a multi-pronged approach including the abatement of CO2 emissions from cement production as well as storage of CO2 within concrete itself. This study explores the decarbonization potential of combining bioenergy and carbon capture and storage (CCS) during cement production with the accelerated carbonation of fresh concrete and the natural carbonation of demolished concrete for the life cycle net CO2 of 30 MPa ordinary Portland concrete. As both biomass and concrete reuptake CO2 over time, the timing of CO2 emissions and removals is explicitly accounted for.

Persevering syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion after traumatic brain injury.

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is a known cause of hyponatremia, caused by excessive ADH secretion which, in turn, leads to water retention. SIADH has been associated with multiple etiologies, one of which is traumatic brain injury (TBI). Most cases of SIADH after TBI describe a course in which hyponatraemia develops several days to weeks after the trauma and then resolves within a few weeks.

Brain-homing CD4 T cells display glucocorticoid-resistant features in MS.

Objective: To study whether glucocorticoid (GC) resistance delineates disease-relevant T helper (Th) subsets that home to the CNS of patients with early MS.

Methods: The expression of key determinants of GC sensitivity, multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1/) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR/), was investigated in proinflammatory Th subsets and compared between natalizumab-treated patients with MS and healthy individuals. Blood, CSF, and brain compartments from patients with MS were assessed for the recruitment of GC-resistant Th subsets using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence.

Implementing a bidirectional impulse turbine into a thermoacoustic refrigerator.

A thermoacoustic model is used to efficiently implement a bidirectional impulse turbine into a thermoacoustic refrigerator. Experiments are done for several gas types and mean pressures to identify its influence on the turbine efficiency. A scaling is investigated in an attempt to provide a unique function of the turbine efficiency for all operating conditions.

Review on the conversion of thermoacoustic power into electricity.

Thermoacoustic engines convert heat energy into high amplitude acoustic waves and subsequently into electric power. This article provides a review of the four main methods to convert the (thermo)acoustic power into electricity. First, loudspeakers and linear alternators are discussed in a section on electromagnetic devices.

CT within 6 hours of headache onset to rule out subarachnoid hemorrhage in nonacademic hospitals.

Objective: To investigate whether staff radiologists working in nonacademic hospitals can adequately rule out subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) on head CT <6 hours after headache onset.

Methods: In a multicenter, retrospective study, we studied a consecutive series of patients presenting with acute headache to 11 nonacademic hospitals. Inclusion criteria were (1) normal level of consciousness without focal deficits, (2) head CT <6 hours after headache onset and reported negative for the presence of SAH by a staff radiologist, and (3) subsequent CSF spectrophotometry.

Innovations in papermaking: an LCA of printing and writing paper from conventional and high yield pulp.

Pulp and paper industry is facing challenges such as resource scarcity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this research is to investigate whether the use of new coatings (micro or nano TiO(2)) and different pulp types could bring savings in wood, energy, GHG emissions and other environmental impacts in comparison with conventional printing and writing paper. We studied three types of pulp, namely i) unbleached virgin kraft pulp, ii) recovered fiber, and iii) high yield virgin chemithermo-mechanical pulp (CTMP).

Potential of bioethanol as a chemical building block for biorefineries: preliminary sustainability assessment of 12 bioethanol-based products.

The aim of this study is to present and apply a quick screening method and to identify the most promising bioethanol derivatives using an early-stage sustainability assessment method that compares a bioethanol-based conversion route to its respective petrochemical counterpart. The method combines, by means of a multi-criteria approach, quantitative and qualitative proxy indicators describing economic, environmental, health and safety and operational aspects. Of twelve derivatives considered, five were categorized as favorable (diethyl ether, 1,3-butadiene, ethyl acetate, propylene and ethylene), two as promising (acetaldehyde and ethylene oxide) and five as unfavorable derivatives (acetic acid, n-butanol, isobutylene, hydrogen and acetone) for an integrated biorefinery concept.

Producing bio-based bulk chemicals using industrial biotechnology saves energy and combats climate change.

The production of bulk chemicals from biomass can make a significant contribution to solving two of the most urgent environmental problems: climate change and depletion of fossil energy. We analyzed current and future technology routes leading to 15 bulk chemicals using industrial biotechnology and calculated their CO2 emissions and fossil energy use. Savings of more than 100% in non-renewable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are already possible with current state of the art biotechnology.

[Assessment of cell proliferation based on group analysis of Ki-67 index in serous ovarian cancers].

Objectives: Ovarian neoplasms are very important problems in medicine, because they account for 23% of all female genital neoplasms, and they are the cause of 47% deaths among women suffering from cancers of the female reproductive organs. Growth of the neoplasms depends on the speed of cells' reproduction. Monoclonal antibody Ki-67 detects specific antigen--nonhistonic protein of cellular nucleus, which is characteristic for dividing cells.

Falciparum malaria transmitted by a thick blood smear negative kidney donor.

This report describes a case of P. falciparum transmission by a recent-immigrant renal donor. The donor tested negative upon microscopy of a thick blood smear.

[Analysis of prognostic factors for the extent of vascularity of serous ovarian cancer on the basis of CD34 antigen expression].

Objectives: Ovarian neoplasms are very important problem in medicine, because they account for 23% of all female genital neoplasms, and they are the cause of 47% deaths among women suffering from gynecological cancers. Progression of neoplasmatic disease depends also on dynamism of angiogenesis, because better oxygen and nutrition substances supply increase tumor growth. To increase the tumor volume of 1 mm3, the development of new vessels is needed, and that also increases the risk of distant metastases.

[Antibiotic prophylaxis after abdominal hysterectomy--comparative analysis of two treatment patterns].

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis after abdominal hysterectomy. Additionally we compared costs of the treatment patterns and the periods of hospitalization.

Materials And Methods: We studied 70 cases of women operated in I Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic in Wroclaw without serious internal diseases, divided in two groups: on the basis of the treatment patterns.

Gliomatosis peritonei with mature teratoma of the ovary.

We report a case of menstrual mature teratoma of ovary with implants of glial tissue in peritoneum and its adnexa. After resection of the tumour and omentum laparoscopic examination was performed and revealed reduction, fibrosis of glial implants and massive cellular reaction.